Politicians can directly impact gasoline prices: This has been one of the more debated misconceptions. Crude oil prices make up the bulk of gasoline prices, and crude oil prices are set by the global market. Politicians can impact gasoline prices indirectly, but there is little direct impact they can have.

Photo: Haraz N. Ghanbari, Associated Press

Politicians can directly impact gasoline prices: This has been...

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Gas stations make a huge profit off gasoline: Many drivers unfairly believe that gas stations are raking in huge profits on gasoline sales. In fact, it’s the opposite. Gas stations make cents on the dollar.

Photo: Joe Raedle, Getty Images

Gas stations make a huge profit off gasoline: Many drivers...

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Get gas in the morning: This myth really depends on where you live. Gasoline does expand as it warms, meaning you get less gasoline volume when it’s warm. In most places, this isn’t a concern, but Texas is a different story. You might get a few extra drops of gasoline by buying in the morning.

Photo: Don Ryan, AP

Get gas in the morning: This myth really depends on where you...

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Tapping the Strategic Petroleum Reserve could lower prices: This is obviously not true. President Barack Obama tapped the reserve, and drivers barely noticed a difference.

Photo: E. Joseph Deering, Houston Chronicle

Tapping the Strategic Petroleum Reserve could lower prices: This...

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Oil companies produce less in the spring: During the spring months, consumers usually see an increase in the price of gasoline. However, it isn’t because oil companies are reducing production. The increase usually happens because refineries are switching from winter to summer blends and tighter supply due to refinery maintenance.

Photo: DirectToArchive

Oil companies produce less in the spring: During the spring...

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Turn off the air conditioner, roll down the windows: It’s a popular myth that you can save fuel by turning off the air conditioner and rolling down the windows on the freeway. Sadly, there isn’t much of a saving in doing it. However, you can see a fuel savings by turning off your air conditioner and keeping your windows up.

Turn off the air conditioner, roll down the windows: It’s a...

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Overinflating your tires: Some people claim overinflating your tires can help save your money by improve the rolling resistance of the car, but it doesn’t hold up when tested. Overinflating your tires gives you a bumpier ride and a very minimum increase in fuel economy.

Overinflating your tires: Some people claim overinflating your...

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Gas savings products increase gas mileage: Some products do help improve gas mileage, but a bulk of them don’t do what they say. The Federal Trade Commission tested more than 100 devices and found 25 percent didn’t improve gas mileage. A few even damaged the engines.

Gasoline prices surged across the country over the last week, jumping especially high in Houston as crude oil prices soared.

The average price for a gallon of regular jumped 12 cents nationally and 14 cents in Houston, according to figures from AAA.

“A lot of it is tied directly to the rising oil price,” said Patrick DeHaan, senior petroleum analyst for GasBuddy.com. “Crude oil prices are up close to $12 a barrel from where they were a few weeks ago and it’s because of the tremendous change in crude oil prices that retail prices are going up dramatically.”

The price for a gallon of regular gasoline in Houston is now about $3.46, which remains well below the national average of $3.61, according to AAA.

But geopolitical changes, combined with higher use of crude oil by U.S. refineries, have created supply concerns that have pushed up oil prices.

The U.S. Energy Information Administration has reported that crude oil inventories have fallen by 20 million barrels for two consecutive weeks, mainly because of higher refinery usage of oil, DeHaan said.

Crude oil prices have been on the rise, with the price of West Texas Intermediate crude, a benchmark for U.S. oil, near $106 per barrel.

A military coup and unrest in Egypt in recent weeks have added to fears that oil production could be disrupted or affected. Though Egypt has little oil production of its own, it is the home of the Suez Canal, a major oil transit route.

Much of the fears, however, have to do with instability in Egypt affecting other Middle East oil producers and their output, DeHaan said.

“I believe that the fear of Egypt is driving prices higher,” he said. “But I would be apt to say that that probably is an unfounded fear, that production would probably not be impacted by Egypt.”